Friday, September 23, 2022

Some September Reading

 


Hey readers, this week finds me with enough energy to share some bookish thoughts on some more recent  books that  I've read or listened to in September (so that's progress.) 


Dark Tales: Stories; Shirley Jackson
Penguin Audio - 2021
)8 hours - multiple narrators - all excellent

Dark Tales was a collection of (17) short stories.  I enjoyed more than half of the stories and, although all of the stories were new to me, I didn't find them all that scary or creepy.  If anything some of the stories that I didn't care for just seemed just kind of odd. The best part of the collection was the quality of the audio narrators: Ottessa Moshlegh, Kirsten Potter, Kimberly Farr, Karissa Vacker and Mark Deakins.

One very short but powerful story was called; What a Thought, which explored all the different ways a wife considers killing her husband who seems likely a decent guy.  She is obsessed  with these thoughts and the ending was shocking.  Louisa Please Come Home was another one I liked.  A younger girl isn't happy with her home life and runs away, changing her appearance many times.  After being gone for over (3) years and no response to the reward the family has offered, a man she meets convinces her to go home so he can claim the reward.  The family does not recognize their daughter with her changed appearance and the man who brings her home has a history of trying to claim rewards with other missing persons so in the end nothing has changed. The final one I will mention was All She Said Was Yes - A young girl's parents have died in a car accident and the neighbor takes the girl in until some family is able to take her with them.  When trying to talk to the girl about her feelings about her parent's death, her response is a rather flat affect and the claim that she told her parents this would happen to them but, they didn't listen.  The girl has other warnings including one for the neighbor who took her in but, will they heed her warning?

I liked the situations Jackson created with these stories, simple, everyday people and occurrences which suddenly take a darker turn and the reader can easily imagine that things will not end well. Other stories had a locked-room feel.  It was fun to listen to a few of these at a time. Worth trying.

RATING - 4/5 stars

Park Row - 2022
(eGalley)

Three couples all family and friends escape to a luxurious, isolate cabin in Georgia, complete with all amenities including spa and personal chef.  It isn't long before a dangerous storm take hold, internet is out and all communication to the outside comes to a halt.  If things couldn't get much worse one of the group members goes missing.

A thriller with a creepy, locked-room feel, this story is told from multiple POVs and past and present timelines which made this story all too much at times. All of the characters seemed spiteful and full of secrets (except for one individual). I found it hard to keep turning the pages at times and put this aside for several days at one point.  I did love the set up and the setting but, the characters left me mostly disappointed.

RATING - 3.5/5 stars

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook;  Ellen Marie Wiseman
Recorded Books - 2022
(Library audio download - 13_ hours - Morgan Hallett narrator - very good)


This story is based in part on a true story surrounding The Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York in the 1970s.

Sage and Rosemary Winters ere identical twins who loved many of the same things, even though Rosemary had some developmental and emotional issues.  At age 13, the girl's mother was killed in a car accident and Sage is led to believe by her step father that her twin sister died of pneumonia.  The truth is Rosemary was sent to Willowbrook because he didn't want to deal with her after the mother's death.

At 16, Sage discovers the truth and goes to Willowbrook to find her sister.  At Willowbrook Sage is mistakenly believed to be Rosemary who had recently gone missing.  While trying to convince staff that she isn't Rosemary she begins to witness first hand the horrors of how residents of the state school are mistreated and abused.

This was a tough read at times to see how those trusted in the state's care were treated prior to this institution being closed in the 1970s.  Although some of the story felt repetitive, I thought that the author did a good job emphasizing the abuses that took place and how administrators looked the other way.  I was happy I decided to listen to the audio which was well done.

RATING - 4/5 stars

We Spread; Iain Reid
Simon ^ Schuster Audio - 2022
(5 hours 58 minutes)
Narrator - Robin Miles - very good)
(audio download sent by publisher)

Penny is an elderly artist who has lived in the same apartment with her long term partner for years and years.  After her partner passed away, she felt comfort in the sameness of her days, surrounded by the things she loved and which brought her comfort. She felt happy and at peace despite the fact her partner had died.

After a few incidents at the apartment, she finds herself uprooted from her apartment and the things that she loves to a strange but beautiful home occupied by several elderly residents her age and some kind staff.  The group dines together, continues with hobbies and socializes. They are supervised by a caring staff who monitors their daily activities but, for Penny it is not the same as her apartment.

This was quick, well-written novel that I very much enjoyed.  It was one of those stories that as a senior myself, made me pause and reflect. It was hard to see many of Penny's prized possessions of her former life packed away as she was moved to her new residence.  Her new life was often clouded by confusion yet it felt quite realistic.

RATING - 4.5/5 stars

26 comments:

  1. Three outta four sounds pretty good. I'm glad you're doing well enough to do some reviewing.

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  2. We Spread sounds good! I've been going through drawers and closets to declutter some things we no longer use, so sounds like I'll relate to this story. Hope you are feeling better, Diane.

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    1. Not sure who left this message but, thanks for the kind words. I feel great when I purge drawers, closets of no longer used items.

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  3. I've been seeing quite a lot of comment online about Iain Reid's book. I think I need to add it to my read list.

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    1. I enjoyed Reid's style and hope to check out other books that he has written.

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  4. I haven't read many of Shirley Jackson's short stories, and the three you mentioned have me curious. Too bad the characters were disappointing in the new Lisa Unger. I think I have this as a library hold, but who knows if I'll have time to read it when the time comes!

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    1. The Shirley Jackson short story collection was a nice change of pace. I liked the ability to listen to a few and then stop and read something else.

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  5. Glad you're feeling better! I wanted to read Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, but my last book was all multiple POVs and past and present timelines and I didn't love it; it's not my favorite way to tell a story, so I'll probably pass on that one. But I do really want to read The Lost Girls of Willowbrook.

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    1. Hi Lark, thanks for the kindness:) It does seem like more authors are using that style which I personally find hard to take.

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  6. So glad to hear that you are feeling better! I have the audio of The Lost Girls of Willowbrook and may get a copy of We Spread. I hope you have a great week!

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    1. Thanks Vicki - I think you will like bith books even though the stories are somewhat sad.

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  7. Really pleased you're feeling better, Diane. The Lost Girls of Willowbrook really appeals to me!

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    1. Thanks Cath, each day is better for me. Lost Girls of Willowbrook was a tough story and, sad to think these places really existed.

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  8. I'm glad you are feeling a little stronger, Diane. I've downloaded We Spread and look forward to listening to it later this year. We've been on the road for a few weeks and I've barely read a thing!

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    1. The audio was well done; I liked this story even though it was not a happy kind of read.

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  9. Re Secluded Cabin, it is often hard to keep reading a book when none of the characters are appealing.

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    1. I find that to be true as well, especially when there are multiple ones that irk us :)

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  10. Looks like you've had some good reading this week/month. With reunion festivities this past few days I have read nothing.

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    1. We read when time allows so I'm sure when you are less busy your reading will pick up.

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  11. Glad you're able to get so much reading/listening in and feel like writing about them, too. Dark Tales sounds a bit too uneven for me, but I do love the cover. Might try to borrow it in print so I can pick and choose which stories to read. I like the sound of We Spread.

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    1. I think many readers will enjoy -- We Spread, audio is very good as well. It isn't an action packed story some some could find it not their cup of tea - I suppose.

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  12. Shirley Jackson can be a bit hit or miss for me as well. I love some of her stories and love her ability to make the most innocent things seem creepy but sometimes I feel like they just miss the mark. Too bad about the characters in Secluded Cabin. It has such potential. I'm glad to see you and hope you are having a wodnerful week!

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  13. Hi Katherine, Yes, Shirley Jackson does know how to do creepy but, some of the stories in this collection just felt a bit odd. I was happy I tried it though as several were really good.

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  14. I'm glad you're feeling better, Diane. All these books sound good to me. I'm not much of a short stories reader but will read them especially if they're from my favourite authors. :)

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  15. Thanks Melody. I just began enjoying short stories in the last few years.

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